Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-02-07
DETAILS OF THE HORROR.
Fearful Scenes and IncidCnts-TTOw the
Accident Occurred.

Fearful Scenes and IncidCnts-How the
Accident Occurred.
CONCORD, n. H., February 5.-The N
press train that left Boston at : O'Clock
last night met with 4 terrible accident
near Woodstock, on the Central Vermont
railroad, at about $50 this morning. The
train started from this city On time, but
was detained ut White River Junction, so
it WAS about an hour and Il half late when
il lett there. 1t consisted OF n locomotive,
baggage car, postal car, two passenger
coaches and two sleeping cars, and
was running at the usual rate of speed.
When about POO yards south of the
end of the deck bridge near the old Wind
SOr station a broken rail was struck. The
locomotive, baggage car and postal car
broke away from the rest of the train,
passing over the bridge in safety. The
rest OF the train was thrown from the rails
and continued on the roadbcd until it
came.near the end of the bridge, but there
it ran over the abutment and all of the
ears fell into the White river, some fifty
feet below. The gorge ut this point is
II lGAltNAA. illAA AAN AAAN 80 WV NN'
there was Il terrible crash.
As soon rs possible the detached part of
the train Wa stopped and ran back To the
scene of the disaster. The screams of the
injured were heartrending. Assistance
also came from the people living in the
vicinity aud everything was done to rescue
and relieve the injured. Soon after help
arrived it was discovered that fire had
started in the first passenger coach and
soon-thc entire train was ablaze, thus ad-
ding a new horror to the already irightiul
catastrophe. Those present were powerleSS
to stop the fire, and devoted themselves
entirely to attempting to rescue those i'm
prisoned in the wreck. The reScuerS met
another and unexpected obstacle in the
heat, which had becOmSe so intense that
they were Obliged to relinquiSh their eff
forts To save the sufferers and were COM
PEELED In retreat TO a place of safety for
themselves and To become unwilling and
hOrrOr-Strirken witnesses Ofthe aStul hOlo-
cluSt. In addition to this and TO add to the
terrors and SufleTingS of the passengers,
the weather was intensely cold, and the
heroic rescuerS were hindered thereby in
their work. No water could be obtained
with which to check or %eXtinguish the
flame. The ice WIS several inches thick on
the river and there was no appliance at
hand to raise it.
Ira A. Chase, of Bristol, was ut White
River Junction when the news of the dis
aster was received. He went to the wreck
OH a special train. His story of the aces
dent Is rs follows: The train left White
River Junction late, and the accident IS
thought to have occurred at about 2:l5
a. III. A broken rail was discovered some
900 feet this side of the bridge, but
whether this caused the accident or 8
wheel hrst broke is in dOubt. The loco
/ motive and baggage and mail ears crossed
the bridge in safety. Two paSsengei
coaches, the Boston sleeping car pilgrim
and the Springfield sleeper "St. Adams
went of the bridge at the end on b right
hand side and apparently turned bottom
side up in the fall. Men living nearby
stated that when they got to the scene
there was no fire except in the forward
passenger car, but the flames soon spreaC
10 the other cars and then to the bridge
All were consumed. T~wenty-six persons
so far rs known, were taken out aliv'
from the cars which were burned. I've
! of these are understood to be Mr.. Wesson
pistol manufacturer, Of Springfield, anC
Lid. Brocklehanks, q brakeman, but the!
ldied soon after.
The two passenger coaches were vel
filed and every berth in the Boston sleep
ing car was occupied and twelve in tn
one from Springfield, making the tota
number of passengers in the wrecked Car